Township of Franklin, PA General Provisions

Any accessory structure, standing apart from the principal structure, is permitted in a side or rear yard; except as otherwise provided below, the location of such structure must conform with applicable setback requirements and may not be located in a front yard.

The following provisions, however, set forth modifications to this regulation, as well as additional regulations governing nonattached structures:

Accessory structures, which have an area not exceeding 500 square feet (for example, utility sheds, dog houses, play houses, etc.) may be located no less than 10 feet from any street or lot line but not in any required front yard.

Apartments or other living quarters shall not be permitted in any accessory structure.

Other than as listed above, for all other requirements, a nonattached structure is considered the same as a principal building.

Fences and walls. A fence or wall (except a retaining wall or wall of a zoning permitted under the terms of this chapter) must comply with the following provisions.

In a residential zone, no fence or wall shall exceed a height of more than six feet.

For all uses in a commercial or industrial zone, no fence may exceed eight feet in height in any yard area.

In all zones, fences may be located up to, but not on, the lot line. However, if vegetation or other plantings are to be planted to form a wall or fence, such plantings must be planted at least three feet from any property line.

In all zones, a clear sight triangle free of obstruction by structures or vegetation must be maintained at all street intersections.

§ 175-15 Unenclosed storage.

Abandoned or junked motor vehicles. Except as provided in this chapter, abandoned or junked motor vehicles must be stored in accordance with Township ordinances which regulate junked and abandoned vehicles on public and private property.

Recreational vehicles, trailers and trucks. On-street parking of recreational vehicles, trailers and/or trucks with a vehicle rating over one ton, for a period in excess of 24 hours, is prohibited in all zones.

Trash, garbage, refuse or junk. The outdoor accumulation of trash, garbage, refuse or junk for a period exceeding 30 days is prohibited in all zones.

§ 175-16 Setback modifications.

Front setbacks from major thoroughfares. For the purpose of protecting residential uses from adverse influences of traffic and for the purpose of protecting major thoroughfares for their traffic functions, buildings (including residential and nonresidential buildings) along these thoroughfares must be set back at least 50 feet from the right-of-way line of the thoroughfare in all zones. Major thoroughfares are the arterial streets and collector streets as specified in the Northwest Adams Joint Comprehensive Plan.

Front setback of buildings on built-up streets. Where at least two buildings are: fronting on the same side of the street as the lot in question; within the same block as the lot in question; set back a lesser distance than required; not more than 200 feet from the lot in question, the average of the lesser setbacks shall become the required minimum front setback for these lots.

Setback on corner lots and double frontage lots. In the case of corner and double frontage lots, two front setbacks, one side setback, and one rear setback shall be provided.

Accessory or appurtenant structures and architectural features. The setback regulations do not apply to the following, provided that they are not located within the clear sight triangle:

Student shelters at school bus stops, telephone booths, minor utility structures.

Cornices, eaves, chimneys, steps, canopies, and similar extensions.

Open fire escapes.

Retaining walls.

Sight distance.

Proper sight lines must be maintained at all street intersections. Measured along the center line of the street, there must be a clear sight triangle with sides as follows:

	Street	Clear Sight Triangle Side
	Major thoroughfares	150 feet
	Minor streets	75 feet
	Driveways	30 feet

No building or construction is permitted in this area except as follows:

Obstructions or plantings less than three feet in height.

If not obstructing view of traffic, post columns and trees not exceeding one foot in diameter.

Stream buffer zones. Where a property is traversed by a high-quality or exceptional-value stream, as designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in accordance with the U.S. Clean Water Act,[1] no buildings, parking areas, stormwater management facilities, storage areas or similar features shall be constructed within 50 feet of the water's edge (at normal water level) in said stream. This standard shall not be applied to driveway crossings, utility crossings or similar improvements, provided that the applicant obtains all required permitting from applicable agencies and provided that the design of the crossing represents the minimum possible disturbance to the stream.

Editor’s Note: See 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.

Multiple principal uses on a single lot. If two principal uses are to occupy a single lot, each such use must be positioned so that the lot on which such uses are located could subsequently be subdivided, separating each use, yet meeting all applicable zoning district dimensional requirements.

Where a minimum depth of a front yard is specified in any zone, an open space of no less than such minimum front yard shall be provided between the street line or lines and the nearest point of any building or structure. The building setback for a front yard, or front yards in the case of a corner lot, may be set further back than the minimum required distance for a front yard under the following circumstances (which circumstances are also illustrated by the attached graphic representations, incorporated herein and made a part hereof):

Cul-de-sac lots. On a cul-de-sac lot, the front setback line may be established at a distance back from the cul-de-sac right-of-way arc a sufficient distance so that the building setback line arc will measure the minimum lot width required in the zone, with a minimum arc distance at the cul-de-sac right-of-way of no less than 35% of the required lot width or no less than 35 feet, whichever is greater.

Lots on curved streets. Lots on a curved street, the center line of which complies with the street radius requirements contained in Chapter 146, Subdivision and Land Development, may have the front setback line established at a distance back from the street right-of-way line a sufficient distance so that the front setback line is an arc equal in distance to the minimum lot width required in the zone, and the distance of the arc of the subject lot at the street right-of-way line is no less than 70% of the minimum lot width required in the zone.

Panhandle or flag lots. A panhandle lot, also known as a "flag lot," is deemed for the purpose of this subsection to be a lot which requires a narrow and/or long strip of land for access to a public street or thoroughfare. Such lot shall meet all of the other requirements of the zone in which it is located, but would be a landlocked tract without the narrow and/or long strip of land which provides access to the lot. The front setback line in a panhandle or flag lot shall be located in accordance with the requirements of the zone in which the lot is located as if the narrow and long strip of land did not exist. Said access strip shall not be included for any calculation of lot area or yards. Said access strip shall not be less than 25 feet in width at any point.

All of the foregoing notwithstanding, under no circumstances shall the front yard depth exceed 40% of the lot depth.

§ 175-17 Height modifications.

The height regulations do not apply to the following projections, provided that the height of any such projection above its base shall not be greater than the shortest distance measured along a horizontal plane from such base to any lot line:

Structures such as chimneys, standpipes, flagpoles, television antennas (excluding residential satellite dish antennas) or radio towers.

Structures on buildings such as clock towers, cupolas, water tanks, and other mechanical appurtenances, if such structures, at any level, do not cover more than 25% of the roof on which they are located.

Parapet walls or cornices used solely for ornamental purposes if not in excess of five feet in height above the roof line.

§ 175-18 Minimum habitable floor area.

All dwelling units must conform to the minimum habitable floor area as follows:

Single-family dwellings: 600 square feet per dwelling unit.

Two-family or multifamily dwellings: 600 square feet per dwelling unit.

Group homes, halfway houses, and similar uses: 100 square feet per maximum amount of guests that can stay on any given day. The minimum total square footage is 600.

§ 175-19 Parking.

Size of parking space. Each parking space must have an area of not less than 200 square feet, exclusive of passageways, driveways and required interior green area appurtenant to the space and giving access to it, and be a minimum of 10 feet wide by 20 feet deep. Where five or more parking spaces are required, the total parking area, including passageways and driveways, must average 270 square feet per required parking space, exclusive of required interior green area.

Spaces required. Off-street parking spaces must be provided for each building erected, altered, enlarged or converted, or for each principal use, whichever will result in the greater number of spaces, in accordance with the following schedule:

	Type of Use	Minimum of One Parking Space for Each
	Auditorium, house of worship, theater other such places of public assembly	400 square feet of gross floor area but not less and then 1 space per each 4 seats
	Bowling alley, billiard room	1/2 lane (i.e., 2 spaces per lane per table)
	Clubs, lodges and other similar places	100 square feet of gross floor area
	Continuing care retirement community	5 beds in a nursing, skilled care, assisted living or personal care facility plus 1 for each employee on the largest shift 1/2 independent two-family or single-family dwelling unit (i.e., 2 spaces per dwelling unit) 2 units of multifamily dwelling plus 1 for each employee on largest shift
	Eating establishment	4 seats plus 1 per each employee on second largest shift
	Funeral home	100 square feet of gross floor area
	Golf course	1/4 hole (i.e., 4 spaces per hole) plus 1 per each employee
	Hospital, convalescent home, nursing home	3 beds, plus 1 for each employee of the largest shift
	Hotel, motel	Guest sleeping room plus 1 per each employee on second largest shift
	Industrial and heavy commercial establishments (e.g., building material yard, junkyard, warehouse)	1 1/2 employees on major shift but at least 1 space for each 5,000 square feet of gross floor area
	Miniature golf course	1/2 hole (i.e., 2 spaces per hole)
	Office	300 square feet of gross floor area
	Other commercial buildings (e.g., hardware store without building material yard)	400 square feet of gross floor area
	Other indoor recreational establishments	100 square feet of gross floor area
	Other outdoor recreational uses	500 square feet of active use area
	Outdoor sales (e.g., automobile, boat, RV sales)	20% of sales area to be reserved for customer trailer and parking
	Personal service business	Each treatment station if applicable or 1 space per 300 square feet
	Residential dwelling	1/2 dwelling unit (i.e., 2 spaces per dwelling unit)
	Retail store (e.g., grocery store)	300 square feet of gross floor area plus 1 space per each employee on second largest shift
	Schools	Staff member plus 1 space per classroom in an elementary or junior high school and 1 space per 5 students of projected building capacity in a senior high school or college
	Shopping center or mall	250 square feet of gross leasable floor area
	Vehicle service and repair facility, service station	400 square feet of gross floor area and ground area devoted to repair and service facilities plus 1 per each employee on second largest shift

Location. Except as restricted elsewhere in this chapter, a ground-level parking area/lot is permitted in any yard area, except the-front yard setback, provided that it is at least 10 feet from any property line. The parking area must be on the same or nearby premises. If on a nearby premises:

[Amended 5-5-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-01]

The nearest point of the parking lot shall be not further than the following distances to the nearest point of the property served: 100 feet in the case of a commercial use, 200 feet in the case of a residential use, and 300 feet in the case of an industrial use.

The parking area must remain under control of the owner or operator of the use to which the parking area is appurtenant.

Layout. Parking areas must be arranged so there will be no need for motorists to back over any streets or roads.

Separation from streets and sidewalks. For multifamily and nonresidential uses, where a parking area or other area open to movement of vehicles abuts the right-of-way of a public street, sidewalk or walkway, a pipe railing, post and chain barricade, raised curbs or equally effective devices satisfactory to the Township must line the public right-of-way, sidewalk or walkway, except at access points, so that parked vehicles will not extend into the street right-of-way, sidewalk or walkway.

Parking facilities for the physically handicapped.

Location. Parking spaces for the physically handicapped shall be located as close as possible to ramps, walkways, entrances and elevators. Where feasible, these parking spaces shall be located so that the physically handicapped are not forced to wheel or walk across main traffic lanes or behind parked cars to reach the ramps and other facilities. The spaces shall be situated in those areas of the parking lots located nearest to each primary building entrance.

Size. A minimum of 13 feet wide by 20 feet long.

Required number of spaces. The following number of parking spaces shall be reserved for the physically handicapped:

	Total Parking Spaces in Lot	Required Minimum Number
	Up to 25	1
	26 to 50	2
	51 to 75	3
	76 to 100	4
	101 to 150	5
	151 to 200	6
	201 to 300	7
	301 to 400	8
	401 to 500	9
	501 to 1,000	20, plus 1 for each 100 over 1,000

Identification. Parking spaces for the physically handicapped shall be identified by signs, generally located eight feet above grade. The signs shall state that the space is reserved by law for the physically handicapped. Where these signs are placed flush against buildings or structures or in other locations not accessible to vehicular or pedestrian traffic, the height may be reduced to six feet.

(5)

Curbs:

Where a curb exists between a parking lot and a sidewalk, a horizontally scored ramp or curb cut shall be provided for wheelchair access.

The curb shall not be less than four feet wide and shall have a grade of not more than one foot in 12 feet.

Curb cuts shall be provided within 30 feet of each accessible entrance to the structure, at all pedestrian walk intersections and elsewhere to provide reasonable direct circulation within each development.

The curb cuts shall not be more than 150 feet apart.

(6)

Sidewalks:

Sidewalks shall be scored or textured to indicate the location of doors to blind persons.

Exterior sidewalks shall not be obstructed.

Exterior sidewalks shall have a side slope not greater than one inch in four feet. They shall be at least four feet wide and have a grade of not more than one foot in 20 feet.

Wherever sidewalks cross access drives, parking lots or other sidewalks, they shall bend to a common level.

(7)

Storm drains. Storm drain gates and similar devices shall not be located within the required access for the physically handicapped.

(8)

Grade. The grade of parking spaces for the physically handicapped shall not be more than one foot in 20 feet.

Drainage. All parking lots shall be drained so as to prevent damage to other properties or public streets. All parking lots shall be designed to prevent the collection of standing water on any portion of the parking lot surface. A parking lot for more than five vehicles must be approved by the Township Engineer relative to grading and drainage.

Lighting. Lighting, with a uniform intensity of no less than 0.3 footcandles, shall be provided if an approved parking area for more than five vehicles is to be used at night. Such lighting shall be shielded so as not to reflect or glare on adjoining properties or streets.

Interior green area.

In any parking lot containing 10 or more parking spaces, except a parking garage, 10% of the total area of the lot shall be devoted to interior landscaping. Such interior landscaping shall be used at the end of parking space rows and to break up rows of parking spaces at least every 10 parking spaces. Landscaped areas situated outside of the parking lot, such as peripheral areas and areas surrounding buildings, shall not constitute interior landscaping. For the purpose of computing the total area of any parking lot, all areas within the perimeter of the parking lot shall be counted, including all parking spaces and access drives, aisles, islands and curbed areas.

If a parking lot of under 10 spaces is built without interior landscaping and later additional spaces are added so that the total is 10 or more, the interior landscaping shall be provided for the entire parking lot.

§ 175-20 Loading.

Size; surfacing. The loading space must be not less than 10 feet wide and 25 feet long. It must be surfaced with a bituminous or concrete paving material.

Spaces required. Off-street loading spaces must be provided for each building erected or enlarged in accordance with the following schedule;

Type of Use	Number of Loading Spaces
Commercial	1 space for a gross floor area of 2,000 to 25,000 square feet. Also, 1 additional space for each 40,000 square feet (or portion of) of gross floor area in excess of the first 25,000 square feet
Office, financial institution, theater, auditorium, hotel, hospital or other institution, bowling alley or other indoor floor recreational establishment	1 space for a gross floor area of 10,000 to 100,000 square feet. Also, 1 additional space for each 100,000 square feet (or portion of) of gross area in excess of the first 100,000 square feet
Industrial activities and uses	1 space for a gross floor area of 2,000 to 25,000 square feet. Also, 1 additional space for each 25,000 square feet (or portion of) of gross floor area in excess of the first 25,000 square feet
Wholesale, storage or warehousing (excludes mini-storage facilities for which no loading spaces are required)	1 space per establishment. Also, 1 additional space for each 40,000 square feet (or portion of) in excess of the first 10,000 square feet

Layout. The loading area must be arranged so that there will be no need for motorists to back over public rights-of-way and must not be located in the front yard area. Off-street loading spaces shall not interfere with off-street parking spaces.

§ 175-21 Driveways/access drives.

[Amended 5-3-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-01]

Access drives. Access drive standards shall be in accordance with the Franklin Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1]

Editor's Note: See Ch. 146, Subdivision and Land Development.

§ 175-22 Screens and buffers.

Where an industrial or commercial use in any zone abuts a residential zone or use, except for street or alley frontage, or when otherwise required by this chapter:

A landscaped screen must be provided to screen from view the industrial or commercial use. Such screen shall be composed of evergreen plants and trees arranged to form both a low level and a high level screen. The high level screen shall consist of evergreen trees planted at an initial height of not less than four feet, with specimens no younger than three years of age, and planted in intervals of not more than 10 feet. The low level screen (deciduous or evergreen) shall consist of two rows of evergreen shrubs planted at an initial height of not less than two feet and spaced at intervals of not more than five feet. The low level screen plantings shall be placed in an alternating or staggered pattern to produce a more effective visual barrier.

An alternative visual barrier shall be a six-foot-high opaque fence or wall with screen plantings of trees, shrubs and/or vines along the surfaces of the fence or wall facing any residential district or use.

The space along a side or rear lot line in the industrial zone or the commercial zone abutting a residential zone for 25 feet in depth may not be used for any commercial or industrial operations. This area must be suitably landscaped in accordance with Subsections A and B above. However, parking is permitted within the interior 10 feet of the twenty-five-foot buffer yard.

The screen planting shall be planted at least two feet from any lot line. In no event, however, shall the required screen planting exceed the allowable height within the sight triangle as set forth in this chapter.

Screen plantings shall be maintained permanently, and any plant material which does not live shall be replaced within one year.

§ 175-23 Illumination.

Where a use involves exterior lighting, the lighting must be so located and shielded that no objectionable illumination or glare is cast upon adjoining properties or so it does not obstruct the vision of motorists.

§ 175-24 Demolition.

Demolition of any structure must be completed within six months of the issuance of a permit. The fee for the permit shall be as set from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. The current list of fees is on file in the Township office. Completion consists of tearing the structure down to grade, filling any resulting cavity to grade and removing all resulting materials from the lot and properly disposing, in accordance with all applicable state and local regulation. A structure may be partly demolished only if a building remains and the demolition of the part is completed within six months of the issuance of a permit. All evidence of the structure which was demolished must be removed from the exterior surfaces of the remaining building.

§ 175-25 Lots of record.

On a lot held in single and separate ownership on October 10, 1995, which does not fulfill the regulations for the minimum lot area and/or lot width for the zone in which it is located, a building may be erected, altered and used and the lot may be used for a conforming (permitted) use, provided the setbacks are not less than the minimum specified herein for the zone in which the lot is located and provided the owner does not own or have access to abutting land which could make the lot in conformance with this chapter.

§ 175-26 Signs.

General regulations for all signs:

Determination of size. The size of the sign shall refer to the area of the sign facing, including any border framing or decorative attachments. In the case of open signs made up of letters, figures and designs the space between such letters, figures and designs shall be included. Where a sign has two or more faces, the area of all faces shall be included in determining the area of the sign, except that where two such faces are placed back to back and at no point more than three feet from one another, the area of the sign shall be taken as the area of one face if the two faces are of equal area, or as the area of the larger face of the two faces are of unequal size.

Location/projection of signs:

Signs must be located so that they do not interfere with any clear sight triangle as defined by this chapter.

For all uses, an advertising sign and a business sign must be at least 60 feet apart, and no sign exceeding 30 square feet in area may be located within 75 feet of a residential zone.

No sign shall project over a public sidewalk or over a public highway or street unless specifically authorized by other Township or state regulations.

No sign shall project more than 35 feet above the ground except for an attached sign which may project 10 feet above the roof of the building.

Signs painted on buildings. Advertising painted upon, or displayed upon a barn or other building or structure shall be regarded as an advertising sign and the regulations pertaining thereto shall apply.

Signs within a building. Nothing in these regulations shall be construed as prohibiting signs intended for viewing principally from within a building or signs temporarily attached to the inside face of a display window and/or door, announcing a sale or similar feature, provided that the latter shall not occupy more than 33 1/3% of the total display window or door area. Such signs shall be permitted in addition to any of the specific sign types designated on the charts to follow.

(5)

Construction and maintenance. Signs must be constructed of durable materials, maintained in good condition, and not allowed to become dilapidated.

(6)

Termination of enterprise. Upon termination or abandonment of a commercial or industrial use, all signs pertaining to the enterprise must be removed.

Allowed permanent signs. Only the types of permanent signs listed on Chart A, which follows, shall be allowed throughout the Township.[1] Permanent signs must conform to the standards set forth in Chart A as well as satisfy the general regulations of Subsection A. Sign permits, which may be obtained from the Zoning Officer, shall be required before any construction for a permanent sign commences.

Editor's Note: Chart A, Permitted Permanent Signs, is included as an attachment to this chapter.

Allowed temporary signs. Only the types of temporary signs listed on Chart B, which follows, are allowed throughout the Township.[2] Temporary signs must conform to the standards set forth in Chart B as well as satisfy the general regulations of Subsection A.

[2]

Editor's Note: Chart B, Permitted Temporary Signs, is included as an attachment to this chapter.

Portable signs. Portable signs shall be permitted in a commercial zone subject to the following requirements:

A sign permit must be obtained from the Township Zoning Officer.

The placement of such signs shall not interfere with traffic or sight distance at street intersections or access to a public right-of-way.

There shall be a fee charged for all permanent signs. The fee shall be as set from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. The current list of fees is on file in the Township office.

Billboards.

Shall be subject to all of the conditions of this section and must be 100 feet from any street right-of-way lines.

No billboards are permitted to be stacked.

No billboard shall be located within 1,000 feet from another billboard.

All billboards shall be a minimum of 50 feet from all side and rear property lines.

(5)

All billboards shall be set back at least 300 feet from any land within the Agricultural (A), Residential (R) and Open Space (O) districts and from the lot line of any residentially used property.

(6)

No billboard shall exceed an overall size of 300 square feet, nor exceed 25 feet in height.

(7)

All properties upon which a billboard is erected shall be regularly maintained so as not to create a nuisance by means of weeds, litter or vector habitation.

(8)

No billboards are permitted in the Agricultural (A), Open Space (O) or Residential (R) districts.

(9)

Dynamic display billboards shall have the following additional regulations applied:

Must be 300 feet from any intersection or traffic control device.

A dynamic display billboard may not change or move more often than once every 20 minutes, except one for which changes are necessary to correct hour-and-minute, date, or temperature information. Time, date, or temperature information is considered one dynamic display and may not be included as a component of any other dynamic display. A display of time, date, or temperature must remain for at least 10 minutes before changing to a different display, but the time, date, or temperature information itself may change no more often than once every three seconds.

The images and messages displayed must be static, and the transition from one static display to another must be instantaneous without any special effects.

The images and messages displayed must be complete in themselves, without continuation in content to the next image or message or to any other sign.

(e)

Every line of copy and graphics in a dynamic display must be at least seven inches in height on a road with a speed limit of 25 to 34 miles per hour, nine inches on a road with a speed limit of 35 to 44 miles per hour, 12 inches on a road with a speed limit of 45 to 54 miles per hour, and 15 inches on a road with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour or more. If there is insufficient room for copy and graphics of this size then no dynamic display billboard is allowed.

(f)

The sign must not exceed a maximum illumination of 500 nits (Candelas per square meter) during daylight hours and a maximum illumination of 500 nits between dusk to dawn as measured from the sign's face at maximum brightness.

(g)

Prior to the issuance of a sign permit, the applicant shall provide written certification from the sign manufacturer that the light intensity has been factory preset not to exceed 5,000 nits and that the intensity level is protected from end user manipulation by password-protected software or other method as deemed appropriate by the Township.

(h)

Dynamic display billboards must be designed and equipped to freeze the device in one position if a malfunction occurs. The displays must also be equipped with a means to immediately discontinue the display if it malfunctions, and the sign owner must immediately stop the dynamic display when notified by the Township that it is not complying with the standards of this chapter.

(i)

A person may obtain a permit for an enhanced dynamic display billboard on one face of an existing billboard, not located in the Commercial or Industrial districts, if the following requirements are met: